Anderson makes conversion
A major recent development for the Bruins is that of senior
Marques Anderson drilling for the free safety position to make room
for incoming redshirt freshman Ben Emanuel at strong safety.
Anderson, who played strong safety last season and cornerback the
two previous years, is one of the more versatile and skilled
athletes in the Bruin secondary. The coaching staff feels that a
transition to free safety would likely compliment Anderson’s
big-play potential.
“Right now Marques is the only safety that has been solid
for us,” said Defensive Coordinator Phil Snow.
“We’re converting him because we want our best player
at free safety where the big plays are made.”
Snow praised Emanuel for his hustle and improvement in recent
practices, and at 6-foot-3, seems more suitable to play at strong
safety where a big frame is desirable. Emanuel’s cousin is
former Bruin and current New England Patriot receiver Bert
Emanuel.
Defensive stability
Last season, the defensive line seemed to be the Achilles’
heel of the Bruin defense. Plagued by injuries, the team was forced
to use nine different starters over the course of the season. The
loss of senior Kenyon Coleman to a season-ending knee injury was
especially hard on last season’s defensive front.
What was once a weakness, however, is now one of UCLA’s
biggest strengths going into the new season. Coleman, who would
likely be headed for the NFL right now if weren’t for last
season’s injury, got a medical redshirt and is expected to be
one of the leaders in a defensive unit coached by new Coordinator
Phil Snow. One of Snow’s early decisions for his defensive
ends is to hold them to constant sides rather than switching them
between weak and strong sides based on the offensive formation.
“The reason we’re not playing our defensive ends at
a strong or weak side position is because traditionally you have
one big guy and one quick pass rusher,” Snow said.
“Most of our guys are big and physical, and pretty close to
the same type of players.”
The 6-6, 285-pound Coleman has gained eight pounds since last
season and looks to be fully recovered from surgery that removed
torn cartilage from his knee last year. Though Coleman seems to be
the only Bruin defensive lineman virtually assured of a starting
position next season (he’ll likely start on the left side),
he’ll be joined by a talented group that possesses both depth
and size.
Redshirt sophomore Dave Ball and redshirt junior Rusty Williams
have been the leading candidates this spring to win the other
defensive end position, while Rodney Leslie, Ken Kocher and Anthony
Fletcher are the top possibilities at the defensive tackle
position.
Snow noted that redshirt junior Sean Phillips will be hurt by
the fact that he has to sit out spring practice because of a recent
ankle surgery.
Judgement week
While his former teammates practice for playing time this week,
Freddie Mitchell will be working on a different part of his game in
light of this weekend’s NFL draft. Mitchell will be working
to improve his stock in his final days before the draft by dealing
with coaches from around the league, as well as media throughout
the country.
Despite a deep receiver class this season, which includes such
UCLA opponents from last season as Michigan’s David Terrell,
Oregon State’s Chad Johnson and Wisconsin’s Chris
Chambers, most analysts predict Mitchell will be drafted anywhere
from 15th overall to somewhere in the second round.
Notes compiled by Joshua Mason, Daily Bruin Reporter.